Recommend me some older games (I've only known current gen all my life)

[h4xor555]

I am a lets say very recent gamer. I started off playing flash games when I was 5. In fact, I still remember the FIRST game I EVER played in my entire life. It was this game right here.

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/3516

The day I found that game as a 5 year old is the day my entire life changed forever. From that moment onwards, I became a full fledged gamer, playing everything I could get my hands on (which were flash games (sad face)). The reason for this because my parents WOULD NOT get me a console.

The first console I ever owned was a Xbox 360, I'm not kidding. It took years of convincing for my parents to finally get a console, which was the 360 when it first came out 6 years ago. So bascially I guess I never started "really" gaming until my Xbox 360. Now I play everything that gets released, AAA, indie, and DLC.

Now I hear lots of you older folk talk about the 90s and the "golden" age of gaming. It's something I COMPLETELY missed out on. I am only used to games from this current gen because this current gen is all I have ever known, I was not around for the older days.

Sorry for this huge long post, its now time to get to my point.

Tell me some of the legendary games of the old days I keep hearing about. I really want to check out what I missed out on, and many people say of how those older games are so great and "pure", and so much better than the games of today, which have been "ruined" by bullshit dlc, microstransctions, and corporate (EA LOL)

Basically I do not want to play current gen games anymore, I want to go back in time and play those older games that people claim are so legendary. Remember I almost completely missed out on the 90s and anything before xbox 360 launch date (No NES,PS2, any of that stuff, only early xbox 360 onwards)

I was thinking of starting with System Shock 2. Is that a good choice? I literally cannot think of any other such older games to play.

Thanks for reading this huge rant

 

[Daft Time]

I was thinking of starting with System Shock 2. Is that a good choice? I literally cannot think of any other such older games to play.

Wow, this is going to be jarring for you. Anyway, I'm assuming you've got a PC to play on because you've mentioned System Shock 2 which gives us a good place to start. It'll be worth editing what systems you have so we've got a place to start recommending games. Without further adieu, I'll start my recommendations from some older, 2000's PC titles and work my way into the 90's:

Deus Ex (2000)

This game is one of the most critically acclaimed of all time. It's a fantastic, if a little clunky by today's standards, hybrid of Stealth, Shooter and RPG. How you wish to play the game is entirely up to you; the levels are entirely open with many routes to an objective, many places to explore and you get to choose if you want to play it stealthily, action pack or even if you want to kill people. It's set to a fantastic cyberpunk story to top it all off. Just don't invest any skill points in swimming.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (2004)

I was really surprised by this one the first time I played it. It's a fantastic, well realised vampire RPG with a interesting cast of characters (those Malkavians!) and some fun (if lacking in polish) game play. However, it was rushed and it's quite obvious (especially when it comes to cut-scenes) and can be quite frustrating to get working (though once it is, it's a pretty stable game). It has some of the greatest atmosphere, lore and some really innovative levels. It's can be scary, it can be funny but most of all - it'll be interesting. Honestly, if you're in to RPG's you owe it to yourself to give this one a look.

It'll run on low-end PCs, so don't worry if you're not really into PC gaming. You will want (in practice, need) the unofficial patch which you can get here [http://www.patches-scrolls.com/vampire_bloodlines.php].

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic I & II (2003, 2004)

While which one of these is better is a hotly debated issue (it's the first one), both are excellent RPGs in their own right. Both have a stellar (heh) cast of characters and fantastic plot. You really wont regret playing them, even if you're not a Star Wars fan. If you are, congratulations. You'll love these games. For the second title, you'll want to look up Team Gizka's restored content mod.

Half-Life (1998)

Surely I don't have to introduce this one, right? Just play it.

Syndicate, Syndicate Wars (1993, 1996)

Now we've got a truly old game. Syndicate, before it's horrid 2012 reboot, was a Cyberpunk tactical game in real time. Wikipedia's writing on the first game sums it up pretty well:

"[You] command teams of up to four cyborg agents are used in a series of deadly missions, which include assassinations, infiltration, theft and "persuasion" (using a device called a Persuadertron to capture individuals of importance). The game's objective is to establish world-wide dominance with the established syndicate, one territory at a time, while engaging and eliminating rival syndicates and putting down internal mutinies."

It's one of my favourite old games. Syndicate

=================

Anyway, I got to be going. That should give you some things to look at until some other Escapists start giving you their recommendations.

 

[Kyrdra]

Earth 2150 (1999)
Everyone of the three parties plays completly different and well it was really really good. Earth 2160 was not bad either but I still prefer earth 2150.

Every C&C game before Red alert 3. Especially Red Alert 2 and C&C Tiberium Conflict
Yes some of them were not that good, but you can get the first 3, I think, for free and the humor especially in the Red Alert series is simply awesome. And even Red Alert 3 wasnt that bad. Sure it makes some mistakes but they managed to did it worse afterwards and I had fun with it.

Warcraft 3.
4 Races which play totally different a good singleplayer and dozens of fun maps are a good argument.

Edit: The Jedi Knight series.
If you are into Star Wars and want to be Jedi those games are what you want. I just finished a replay of Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy and I can say that they are still both a lot of fun

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Depends of what genre and console you want to try. Let's give a couple of examples here and there.

If you're into JRPGs and amazing stories try Persona 3 and 4 on PS2, PSP, or PSVita. I've discovered these games less than year ago and boooooooy are they awesome.

Definitely try Half-Life 1 and 2, these two are one of the finest examples of older gen FPSes.

What else... you can try Heroes of Might and Magic 3 (or 5) on PC. HoMM is probably one of the best turn-based strategies out there.

Try StarCraft 1 and Warcraft 3 if you're into RTSes.

Also, I've skipped whole PS2 generation, but I've played the shit out of PlayStation 1. If you're into Turn Based strategies and awesome stories and settings try Front Mission 3, the best game I've ever played. Try Crash Bandicoot, very good and funny 3D platformer. Try Worms 3 for God's sake!

 

[Thandran]

If I may add some of my own:

- Planescape Torment --> for the narrative experience
- Thief and Hitman --> for your stealth and assasination needs
- Theme Hospital and Rollercoaster Tycoon --> managment SIM's (one of the best in my opinion)
- Chrono Trigger
- Secret of Mana
- Dungeon Keeper --> you manage your own dungeon, what's not to like?
- Donkey Kong Country --> platformer heaven and some of the BEST music I've ever heard
- Command and Conquer and Red Alert --> already explained
- Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 --> old school western RPG goodness
- Metal Gear Solid for the PS1 or the remake on the GC
- Resident Evil
- Parasite Eve --> horror game with RPG elements made by Square; very interesting game
- Clock Tower --> old school horror

And many more. Just can't remember them right now.

 

[scorptatious]

Yeah, don't worry about the guys who talk about how great games were back in the day and complain about today's games. Nostalgia is a pretty powerful thing. And even back then, we had a bunch of shitty games and issues with the industry.

Anywho, there are plenty of games to pick out from:

Spyro the Dragon series (PS1 series)
Crash Bandicoot series (PS1 series
Final Fantasy VII-IX (PS1 series)
Metal Gear Solid series (The first game is only for the PS1, everything onward was for the PS2 and PS3, but you can get 2,3, and Peace Walker for the 360 now)
Chrono Trigger (SNES, PS1, DS)
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee and Exoddus (PS1)
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1 there's also remake for the Wii)
Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
ICO (PS2)

These are my personal picks, but you have a ton of options.

 

[DoPo]

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (2004)

Another vote for it.

Half-Life (1998)

Surely I don't have to introduce this one, right? Just play it.

Hmm, it's questionable how much the game would be appreciated. It is 15 years old and OP may not have good frame of reference and might get unrealistic expectations. The game is awesome, I just find most people who play it now expect it to be...more awesome or something. Still, Black Mesa might be a good one to play instead. And it's free.

What else... you can try Heroes of Might and Magic 3 (or 5) on PC. HoMM is probably one of the best turn-based strategies out there.

I'd suggest HoMM 5 - it should be easier to get into. And it's pretty similar to 3 anyway. Although, the Tribes of the East expansion makes it quite awesome. By the way - top Ubisoft titles (HoMM ones included) are on sale at GOG for the next 4 hours.

 

[ohnoitsabear]

A couple of questions:

What kind of games do you enjoy? Knowing this will let us narrow our recommendations.

What consoles do you have access to? Specifically, do you have access to a backwards-compatible PS3 or Wii, as that opens up the wide selection of PS2 and Gamecube games.

Anyway, I'm going to list off some older PC games you should try. Most of these you can get off of the excellent gog.com, otherwise just get them off Steam.

Half-Life. An outstanding older FPS that holds up very well. Shouldn't be too difficult to get into, and will help you get used to stuff like lower quality graphics. Plus, it's basically required to play it if you have any interest in FPSs, as it is one of the most influential games in the genre. Pick up the sequel, too, if you haven't played it through the Orange Box.

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. Perhaps the best WWII FPS ever made. This game is the granddaddy of all of the super-cinematic modern military shooters we have today. Don't worry, though, this one is actually good.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. I would say that this is the best open world RPG, bar none. It can be an absolute ***** to get into, as the game mechanics are clunky, many of the game systems are broken, and the graphics suck (although this is improved dramatically by the sound and graphics overhaul mod). Still, it's definitely worth looking at if you were a fan of Oblivion or Skyrim, and it is easily one of my favorite games of all time.

Psychonauts. An Xbox-era 3D platformer about a summer camp for psychic kids. Although the platforming is adequate at best, this game really shines when it comes to writing. This game has some of the most funny and original dialogue that I've seen in any game. Plus, it has a level where you're a godzilla-style monster rampaging through a city inhabited by talking lungfish. And that's not even the craziest level.

Deus Ex. I am ashamed to have never finished this game. It's an FPS/RPG/stealth game with wide open levels and a focus on being able to take on each encounter in a wide variety of ways. It has problems, but it's worth looking at just to see a game this ambitious that is able to realize most of it's ambitions.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

What else... you can try Heroes of Might and Magic 3 (or 5) on PC. HoMM is probably one of the best turn-based strategies out there.

I'd suggest HoMM 5 - it should be easier to get into. And it's pretty similar to 3 anyway. Although, the Tribes of the East expansion makes it quite awesome. By the way - top Ubisoft titles (HoMM ones included) are on sale at GOG for the next 4 hours.

Yeah, HoMM 5 is basically HoMM 3 with 3D graphics and made by Russians. Although, I believe there are more races available in 3.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

What are your favourite games from this generation? Maybe we could recommend the games that influenced them so you can see where they're coming from.

Since you like indie games, that probably means you like 2D platformers which means you should get the original [/i]Sonic[/i] games. They're all available on Steam. Sonic 2, Sonic 3 + Knuckles and Sonic CD are *normally* held in higher regard than the original, but the original is still fantastic. In my humble opinion, it's better than CD but CD is still amazing.

 

[h4xor555]

I have quite a nice pc. Built it 2 years ago so it is out of date

I can play Bioshock Infinte on High with 60+ FPS, I think these older games I can take no problem.

I would say some of my all time fave games now would be Prototype 2, Bit Trip runner 2, COD 4, Mass Effect, Fallout, Halo CE, Heavy Rain, Bioshock Infinite, inFamous, Uncharted, Ace Combat:AH, Painkiller Hell and Damnation, and I throughly enjoyed the DmC reboot (COME THE FUCK AT ME!).

Really looking forward to Byond Two Souls and The Last of Us.

Im acutally missing quite a lot. I play so MANY games (EVERYTHING that gets released), I can barley remember them all, I know there are other games which I greatly enjoy, I simply cannot remember.

90% of the space on my harddrive is all games, I have a 1 TB drive.

Going to be in quite a shock I think, these games are probably much different.

While I say I loved Bioshock Infinite, I HATED Bioshock 1 and 2.

Am I going to enjoy System Shock? Bioshock is a successor to that game and I HATED Bioshock.

I don't think I want to play Half Life. I will never know how the story ends, so I will just skip it.

I have a Ps3 as well.

Should I try any really old 1980s games? I have never played Mario, Super Metriod, or any of those Gensis NES games (I know). All I've played was duckhunt at a friends house once.

 

[The Madman]

Well if you're into everything, guess I'll just recommend my personal favourites from the gog site.

First of all, I consider this series pretty much mandatory for any rpg fan: Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2. In my mind Biowares finest work to date and the pinaccle of what an rpg should strive to be. Solid narrative, great characters, surprisingly vibrant 2D artwork even today, entertaining tactical combat, absolutely massive open world... I seriously can't think of any real major flaws in the series. It's absolutely brilliant. And then when you consider there are mods out there which combine BG1 and 2 into one cohesive game as well as improve and tweak the experience towards perfection, then really you just can't get any better. Though other rpg try such as...

Spoiler: Classic trailer for BG2 and a comparison between the BG games & Dragon Age

Planescape: Torment. Fairly well know on forums so you've probably heard of this game. Bluntly put this game has by far the best fantasy story and one of the most unique styles and setting in any game, regardless of genre, ever. It's not disputable, it's fact. In terms of story, setting and character Planescape: Torment is one of the most in-depth and provocative games ever made. If only the combat and the basic gameplay mechanics were more solid it'd probably be my number 1 pick for rpg ever. But as it is it comes a close second, which considering how many rpg I've played, is still damned impressive methinks.

Spoiler: Games intro

Stepping a bit away from pure rpg we've got the absolutely spectacular Heroes of Might and Magic 3. It's a hard game to describe to someone that might not be familiar with this sort of game, so I'll just say it's brilliant and that everything this game does, it does exceptionally well. This is another of those 'I can't think of any real flaws' sort of games, so much so that despite being well over ten years old, I've introduced this game to kids who hadn't even been born when it came out and seen them enjoy it! Now that's the sign of a solid, long lasting experience!

Spoiler: Kinda hard to find any exciting trailer for this game, so here's some pretty music and a view of one of the games cities.

If you wanna give the old Point & Click classic PC adventure games a try, my personal favourite is The Longest Journey. Despite all the gushy mushy love I just gave to Planescape above, this is the game which in terms of story and character really stole my heart. Planescape is deeper, more in-depth and covers a number of more touchy subject but The Longest Journey... well, it's got soul. The main protagonist is my favourite of any game and her journey throughout the games length is enthralling. It's like a really, really nice book for me that I like to re-read every once and awhile for that fuzzy warm feeling of nostalgic happiness. Even nostalgia wont blind me to the shit puzzles and gameplay, but screw that, use a walkthrough if you have to. The story is worth it in my mind!

Spoiler: Trailer for the game!

And as a final suggestion for something more actiony if that's you're thing: Freespace 2. The space sim that was so good it killed the genre... or at least I like to think so. Simply put the story is solid but the gameplay so awesomely intense that you'll be suffering from shellshock and probably need to have your fingers pried from the joystick (I bought a force-feedback joystick exclusively for this game. So worth it!) with a pair of pliers when it's done. Not only that, but of all the games I just listed, this is probably the easiest to get into since a couple of years ago the developers released the games source code online, and as a result the community has been improving the engine ever since to such an extent that it still looks fantastic today. This game is so good at what it does it's become an entire genre unto itself, with so many mods and even total conversion that buying this game is like buying the last ten years worth of amazing space sims all in one. I kid you not!

Spoiler: Youtube videos showing gameplay and what the latest release of its visual upgrade mod looks like

And there you go! Between those five games (Technically 6 since there's 2 BG games!) that's enough PC gaming goodness to keep a normal human occupied for... hell, well over a year especially if they take the time to play the games fully and explore the communities which have sprung up around each game.

 

[Zuljeet]

Well, all of the above suggestions are good n all, but until you've played Space Invaders, you haven't really lived. Also, the Capcom Dungeon and Dragons side-scrollers were amazing.

 

[AD-Stu]

It's not going back very far, but given some of the other sandboxes on your list have you played Assassin's Creed II? Definitely the highlight of the series IMO and a lot of fun. Plus it'll work easily on modern systems.

+1 on the Knights of the Old Republic games, for a look at where Mass Effect (sort of) came from. Bioware also did a game called Jade Empire a while back that's worth a bash.

Original Starcraft is definitely worth a play. As is Diablo II.

When you say Fallout, do you mean 3/New Vegas or the original? If you haven't played the original it's worth tracking down. It's hard in a way that games rarely are these days (and Fallout 2 is even harder) but worth the effort. Plus these days you have the benefit of online guides when you get stuck

I'm trying to think of FPS games in the COD/Halo vein that'll appeal... trouble is a lot of them have aged badly. I think you can play the original Wolfenstein 3D in browser format these days if you're so inclined. Doom is a genuine classic too but I haven't tried to play it in decades, I don't know how well it's aged. Quake could be worth looking into if you can get it working - the graphics will hurt your eyes but it was the first FPS iD did that really focussed on keyboard and mouse control as opposed to just the keyboard, meaning it plays a lot more like a "modern" FPS (in the control sense, at least - don't expect regenerating health or vehicle sections or anything) than the games that came before it.

As for 80's games... if you can get them in working state then mostly it depends on what your tolerance for eye-bleedingly bad graphics and cumbersome interfaces are. Give them a go if you can get hold of them cheaply, but I wouldn't set your expectations too high.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

You wanna get a Nintendo 64 and the fallowing games for it:

Super Mario 64
Pilotwings 64
Starfox 64
Donky Kong 64
Kirby 64
Mario Kart 64
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Banjo Kazooie
Banjo Tooie
Golden Eye 007
Conkers Bad Fur Day
Perfect Dark
Pokemon Stadium
&
Pokemon Stadium 2.

They're all excellent games for an excellent system. Also, it was the system I grew up with (As well as the Gamecube and the original Xbox).

 

[Ebonrul]

Since the we're in the D&D side scrollers, I'll throw in some arcade games. Arcade emulators are a bit of a hassle, since you'll likely have to program your keyboard to accept commands for each one. On the other hand, those controls will likely consist only of "jump" and "attack" so, s'not as bad as it seems.

Contra/Metal Slug: Side-scrolling shooter
Nostalgia will definately hang a lampshade on which is better, but both of these shooters were designed to eat quarters. Bullets flying in from every direction, no shortage of baddies to shoot, and powerups for you and player 2 to fight over. Contra is the original, known for being the hardest game in existence until Battletoads. Metal Slug is an affectionate callback to the genere two decades later with absolutely gorgeous graphics and a lot more character as a result.

Smash TV: Single-stage shooter
In keeping with the arcade style of pick-up-and-go gameplay, Smash TV is another classic. You are a contestant in a televised deathmatch where everything is trying to kill you. Like Metal Slug, it's a spiritual successor to an older classic (RoboTron 2084) and, keeping with the difficulty of the original quickly ramps the difficulty up to insane. It's another 2-player and you can get it on Xbox live arcade to play online co-op. Or, if you've already got a gaming rig, you can just emulate it.

Splatterhouse: Beat-em up
If nostalgia were to guide my hand, I would suggest double dragon as the preferred beat em-up but Splatterhouse was unique. If it was the spiritual successor to anything it would be both kung-fu and every eighties slasher flick ever filmed. The straightforward beat-em up gameplay also allowed for several little horror surprises in the "beat all enemies to advance" genre.

TNMT: Multiplayer Beat-em up
It's the 1980's saturday morning cartoon show as a game...nothing more needs be said.

 

[likalaruku]

Well, I grew up PC gaming because my parents only ever bought me 4 games for the Sega Genesis. I did play games at friends' houses though. & with the power of Emulators, you can play ROMs of games that the developers no longer sell for profit.


Mr.Mattress has excellent suggestions, so I'll start by seconding them.

I'd also look for...

*Final Fantasy & Zelda: No two fans can ever agree on a top or bottom 5. Play them all & decide for yourself.
*Secret of Mana.
*Chrono Trigger.
*Phantasy Star.
*The Dragons Quest series.
*Sonic 1-3, Knuckles, & Spinball.
*Pokemon Fire Red, Emerald, Crystal, Platinum, Heart Gold, & Black or White 1 & 2.
*Paper Mario.
*The Kirby series.
*Crash Bandicoot.
*Rayman.
*Diddy Kong Racing.
*Crazy Taxi.
*Carmageddon series.
*Animal Crossing series.
*Harvest Moon 2 & up.
*Rune Factory series.
*Silent Hill 1-3.
*Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Tekken, or King of Fighters series.

& if you can run them on your PC...
*M.U.G.E.N.
*Myst series.
*Baldur's Gate collection.
*Neverwinter Nights Diamond.

 

[bk08]

You wanna get a Nintendo 64 and the fallowing games for it:

Super Mario 64
Pilotwings 64
Starfox 64
Donky Kong 64
Kirby 64
Mario Kart 64
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Banjo Kazooie
Banjo Tooie
Golden Eye 007
Conkers Bad Fur Day
Perfect Dark
Pokemon Stadium
&
Pokemon Stadium 2.

They're all excellent games for an excellent system. Also, it was the system I grew up with (As well as the Gamecube and the original Xbox).

I'd add Jet Force Gemini, Super Smash Bros, and Paper Mario to this already excellent list.

Well, all of the above suggestions are good n all, but until you've played Space Invaders, you haven't really lived.

I second this.

For the SNES I'd suggest Zelda: Link to the Past, and Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Skies of Arcadia: Legends imo is an excellent Gamecube game. If you like strategy games Final Fantasy Tactics is a good one to get.

 

[TehCookie]

Looks like my list of PS2 recommendation threads will come in handy even if it's just a fraction of old games:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.230891-Another-PS2-Recommendation-Thread
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.193333-Recommend-some-PS2-Titles?
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.192750-So-I-just-bought-myself-a-PS2?
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.302581-Recommend-Some-PS2-Titles?page=1
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.230843-So-i-just-bought-a-ps2?page=1
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.193333-Recommend-some-PS2-Titles?page=1
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.289949-PS2-games
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.265037-PS2-games
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.178833-PS2-must-haves?page=1
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.308133-Ps2-games-anyone?page=1
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.383645-Playstation-2-game-recommendations

 

[Rad Party God]

If you're going for System Shock 2, I'd recommend you the Thief series, specifically 1&2. I don't hold any nostalgic rose-tinted love for it, I literally played them last year and they're absolutely some of my favorite games of all time.

Get past the graphics, patch the games up, customize the controls and you're in for an amazing game.

I know how it looks, and although that doesn't deter my experience, it can be jarring for someone who didn't grew up with late 90's games (PS1/N64 era), if that's the case, then look for Thief: Deadly Shadows (Thief 3), it has some nicer graphics, the controls are streamlined a bit ("dumbed down" if you ask anyone else) and it retains mostly of what made the first couple in the series so great.